What Are the Duties of RNs?

RNs or Registered Nurses may work in a variety of settings including hospitals, private doctors offices, nursing homes, clinics, schools, and other facilities. Within a hospital RNs may work in the emergency room, intensive care, surgery or pediatrics. Their full job descriptions will vary from position to position, but there are certain basic jobs performed by nearly all nurses.

Vital Signs

• Nurses will check and monitor patient vital signs such as heartbeat, respiration, blood pressure, body temperature and pulse. A nurse will typically check these things when a new patient is admitted as well as monitoring them and relaying the information to doctors and other medical staff. This information is particularly important when administering new medications as it will show how the patient is responding to medication. It is also vitally important for a patient who is in surgery.

Medications

• Doctors prescribe medications and pharmacists prepare them, but in a hospital or clinical setting it is the nurse's responsibility to administer medications. This means monitoring dosages and intervals and delivering pills or in some cases administering medications through intravenous tubes. In a school setting a nurse may be asked to administer medications prescribed to students rather than allowing the students to take the drugs independently, especially in the case of young children.

First Aid

• In many settings a nurse may be the first medical professional to see a patient and may be required to administer basic first aid. This is particularly important in a school setting, where there are not doctors on staff or in an emergency room where doctors can be spread thin. This could include CPR, providing oxygen, and applying pressure to wounds. It could also mean applying for signs of various injuries such as concussion, so that this information can be passed along when a doctor arrives.

Education

• Doctors and pharmacists may answer patient questions, but it is frequently the nurse who has the most interaction with patients and families. Nurses may need to explain conditions and medications to patients as well as signs to watch for, and ways to monitor progress. In a school or clinical setting nurses may be called on to discuss general health issues such as hand washing, how to avoid disease, sex education or birth control.